Integrating community health workers into HIV care teams: Impact on HIV care outcomes. Issue 3 (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Drainoni, Mari-Lynn; Baughman, Allyson L.; Bachman, Sara S.; Bowers-Sword, Rachel; Davoust, Melissa; Fortu, Karen; Ni, Pengsheng; Rajabiun, Serena; Campos Rojo, Maria; Wolfe, Hill; Sprague Martinez, Linda
• Is Part Of: Journal of HIV/AIDS & social services. Volume 19:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 204
• Page End: 219
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: Care continuum -- community health workers -- HIV -- viral suppression; AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Services for -- Periodicals; 362.1969792005
• DOI: 10.1080/15381501.2020.1785364
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1538-1501

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: To assess the impact of a Community Health Worker (CHW) intervention within HIV primary care on patient outcomes. Methods: We evaluated a 10-site initiative integrating CHWs into HIV care, examining changes in three outcomes: viral load suppression, a prescription for ART, and appointment attendance. We also assessed the relationship between the three outcomes and the number of CHW encounters. Results: Of 397 participants, most were male and African-American. The mean days of encounters over the first 6 months was 11 per participant. All outcomes improved in the first 6 months: percent with a primary care visit from 49.9 to 84.7% ( p < .000); percent with an active ART prescription from 66.9 to 91.3% ( p < .000); percent virally suppressed from 22.4 to 43.7% ( p < .000). No statistically significant relationship between number of encounters and improvement in outcomes was found. Conclusions: CHW interventions in HIV primary care can lead to improvements in HIV outcomes.